My big love story starts two years ago in the supermarket where I met my now current boyfriend.I was living very unhealthy at the time and I had hidden from him for a while that I was addicted to alcohol/drugs. After blacking out drunk a few times, our relationship was under pressure. On New Year's Eve 2021 everything burst apart. I had just lost a friend and because of all the drinking I couldn't handle it anymore. I can't remember but the next morning my mother was at the door and despite the fact that I was very broke and deeply ashamed I agreed that I would seek help.

I've been sober for almost two years now. The first few months were the hardest, I sometimes thought I wouldn't survive. I have broken up with all my "friends" who still have addiction problems. It's hard to get out of that world, I've had to tell some people clearly not to visit me anymore and changed my phone number. My boyfriend and i are still together. Despite his doubts about ending the relationship, he supported me and we came out better together.

At the moment I'm in therapy, I don't have a job and I don't go to school. Here in the Netherlands there is a special benefit for people who have become disabled before their 18th birthday and I live on that. My boyfriend has the same thing, we both have it for mental health issues. Together we are working hard on ourselves so that we can also get a job one day and thus participate more in society.

Everything that I ran from and therefore reached for the bottle I now have to face. Years of drinking has also taken its things with it. One day is harder than the other but I try to get something positive out of it every day.

I know that if I hadn't had my boyfriend things would have been much more difficult. He has been there for me and still is and I am eternally grateful to him for that. I know it must not have been easy for him and yet he has not given up hope.